This image illustrates everything that is wrong with the internet/ social media/ the world: Someone takes half-baked idea, adds some pseudo-intellectual horse-shit, mixes in a pretty picture and hits PUBLISH: A meme is borne.

The context here is that this image is being associated with the Olympics – Nike is the sponsor. (Their window-treatments in retail stores reflect the same theme.)

THE PROBLEM

E pluribus unumdoes NOT mean ‘out of many, you are the one.’

The message here is that Olympians are special, they are chose – they are one-of-a-kind winners.

The proper translation is “Out of many, one”. (This is on the seal of the USA.) The message there (and the correct one) is that out of many, one.

That is out of diversity there is unity. Unity is about togetherness and common ground. It is the antithesis of being different and special.

They are making the message as if it is about the ‘star’ when the real meaning is about the ‘constellation’.

So here is a classic example of how easily the truth is perverted by popularity. Looking good is more important than being right.